Is the future of the U.S. as global meetings destination under threat?

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This week: America’s reputation as a tourism and events hub is strained, with travel down, costs rising, and accessibility questioned. How can this be overcome, and what might happen next?

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New and noteworthy - from my log:

Here are some updates from across the global events industry.

• NFL Launches 2025 Season with International “NFL Experience” Kickoff Events

I wrote about the growth of sports-related events here last week. Point in case: The US-based National Football League (NFL) is ushering in its 2025 season with free “NFL Experience” fan festivals across seven international cities from 4 - 7 September, including Manchester, Berlin, Madrid, Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro, Toronto and Brisbane. The league plans live game screenings, gameday food, local entertainment, interactive challenges, giveaways and photo ops with the Vince Lombardi Trophy, along with appearances by legends, mascots and cheerleaders. “Our international fan base is one of the fastest‑growing communities in sports,” said Peter O'Reilly , NFL executive vice president for international and league events, as the league seeks to make NFL fandom "a year‑round global phenomenon". 

• Soho House to Go Private in $2.7 Billion Deal

Soho House, the global network of private members’ clubs, will go private in a $2.7 billion buyout led by U.S. hotel investor MCR Hotels . The deal values Soho House’s parent, Membership Collective Group, at $9.50 per share and ends its three-year run as a public company. The move follows years of heavy expansion and mounting financial scrutiny. MCR, one of the largest hotel owners in the U.S., said it sees long-term value in the brand’s loyal customer base and international footprint. The transaction is expected to close later this year, pending shareholder approval.

• Victoria’s Event Industry Decline ‘Greatly Exaggerated,’ Says ABEA

The Australian Business Events Association has rejected claims carried in national media of a mass exodus from Victoria’s events sector, calling reports of decline “greatly exaggerated.” In an opinion piece, ABEA Chair Peter King said portraying the industry as being in freefall is “not only misleading, it’s damaging.” He pointed to Melbourne’s improved ICCA ranking position in 2024 and highlighted that nationally, business events generate more than A$36 billion in direct economic benefit annually. I previously covered concerns about an organiser exodus in this newsletter; ABEA’s rebuttal stresses industry transformation over retreat.

Fees, access issues, and image concerns weigh on the country’s standing in the international meetings market.

There are many newsletters and sources I follow, and in the past two weeks I have seen a broader debate taking shape in the U.S. as three essays raise questions about the country's reputation as a tourism and business events destination, highlighting frustrations with costs, access, and global engagement. In an industry usually focussed on highlighting the positive, this is a new tone out in the open, exposing "the underbelly of the industry" as one author puts it.

So, let's dive into that this week - beginning with a summary of these texts (all worth your time if you want to read them in full), followed by my analysis:

In Event Business Intel, industry strategist Howard Givner published an essay titled “How to Tank a Global Reputation in 10 Easy Steps.” He argues that long visa wait times, security barriers, and other travel hurdles are undermining the country’s standing as a host. “What we’re witnessing now is a master class on how to destroy a brand in record time,” Givner wrote, calling the trend a series of “self-inflicted wounds.”

At the same time, diplomatic and policy convenings are being affected. In Gathering Point News, industry stalwart David Adler reported on the Pentagon’s decision under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to reduce U.S. participation in international forums, including the Aspen Security Forum, the Halifax International Security Forum, and the Munich Security Conference. Adler, citing The Atlantic’s Nancy A. Youssef, noted that officials have said such events “undermine the values” of the current administration. “This isn’t strategy. It’s shrinkage,” Adler wrote, framing the policy as a retreat from established platforms for dialogue.

Tourism economics are also under scrutiny. In Skift , founder and CEO Rafat Ali described what he called “The Great American Tourism Shakedown.” He argued that the U.S. has “priced itself out of its own welcome mat,” citing surcharges, resort fees, and ticketing markups that he said make the travel experience resemble “an obstacle course, a trip measured not in miles but in layers of extra charges and eroded goodwill.”

All three articles converge on a common theme: concerns that the U.S. is making it harder, costlier, or less appealing to engage - whether as tourists, international delegates, or diplomatic partners. While the U.S. remains one of the world’s largest travel and meetings markets, the criticism reflects a growing unease across the events, tourism, and policy communities about the country’s longer-term competitiveness and perception abroad.

So what does this all mean? Here is my take:

There is a growing concern among the travel and business events industry leadership: the United States is making itself harder and costlier to visit, or even convene with. Its political leaders retract from some international exchanges, yielding some of their global presence both at home (as host) and abroad (as guest). I fear that these developments hint at a broader transition, whether accidental or intended.

Declining Travel Momentum

The statistics are telling. International arrivals to the U.S. fell 3.3% in Q1 2025 versus the same period in 2024, according to the National Travel and Tourism Office. Projections paint a steeper drop of 8.2% by mid-2025. Canadian travel has tumbled particularly sharply: air traffic is down 22%, and border crossings by car have plunged 33%, while one tourism forecast even predicts a 9% drop in inbound visitors for the full year, translating to $8.5 billion less in revenue. Poin in case: Las Vegas. The city welcomed just under 3.1 million tourists in June, an 11% drop compared to the same month in 2024. There were 13% fewer international travelers, and hotel occupancy fell by about 15%, according to data from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

Escalating Costs of Entry and Beyond

The costs both of entering and staying in the U.S. are rising. The ESTA application fee under the Visa Waiver Program is set to nearly double from $21 to $40. A new $250 “Visa Integrity Fee” will apply to most non-immigrant visas starting late 2025 (technically refundable, but with no clear process in place). Some travellers from targeted countries may also be required to post refundable bonds up to $15,000, according to recent administration announcements.

And the costs don’t end at the border. Delegates and tourists face layers of hidden fees, from resort charges to service surcharges to ticket markups, that often outpace inflation. For instance, a daily “resort fee” for a 5-star hotel property in a major U.S. destination now adds more than $55 to the daily bill. At U.S. convention hotels, a single bottle of water can cost $7 and daily Wi-Fi access still carries a $15 surcharge - services that many competitor cities in other countries include into their room rates. Visitors also face U.S. tipping expectations that have grown into 15–20% of the bill at full-service restaurant, with 20% widely considered the standard for acceptable service, according to industry guidelines.

Taken together, these cumulative costs erode price competitiveness. They squeeze budgets and make U.S. destinations less appealing compared to other destinations around the world with more transparent, predictable pricing.

Reputation and Trust

Some weeks ago, I focussed on the one element that every organiser value other everything: reliability and stable environments (read it here). The decision about where to bring an event is driven by access, by trust, by reputation of markets and destinations. Months of policy changes and anecdotal reporting around people refused entry into the U.S. have damaged this. While fees and regulations can be changed again, these stories and narratives linger.

What This Means for Business Events

From the tourism perspective, high fees and travel friction act as a deterrent, however, impact will likely be limited for mega events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup or the 2028 LA Olympics. From our business events perspective, the impact goes further: they impact global gatherings and challenge the U.S. appeal as a prime hub for international conventions. Organisers face price-sensitive attendees; exhibitors prefer destinations offering smoother access. And each symbolic absence of U.S. officials from neutral forums feeds into a preception that America is withdrawing from the very platforms that have long reinforced its influence. Conversely, hubs like London, Singapore, and Dubai (to name just a few) are investing in visitor-friendly policies, streamlined entry, and predictable pricing. If this trend continues, the U.S. risks ceding its status as a leading default choice for international meetings.

Has it happened? No. But may it happen? We will have to wait and see.

Let's meet up in person!

Up here in Norway, the summer break is over. Time to hit the road again...

Happy to share today that I will be back at imex Las Vegas this October, and speak there as well - details to follow.

And, later in the year, I will re-unite with the UFI community in Hong Kong at their Global Congress.

That's all for today. Until next week!